Mat.



No. 784,564. PATBNTED MAR. 14, 1905. R. L. HORSLEY.

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wwwa/.awo i g1/wanton @Hof/twg I @y ffl 1MM mat -NiTian STATES Patented March 14, 1905.

PATENT FFICE.

ROBERT L. HORSLEY, OF FORT IVORTH, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO IORTH TIRE WORKS, OF FORT `WORTH, TEXAS, A CORPORATION OF TEXAS.

' MAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. '784.564, dated March 11, 1905. Tippmann ned May 31. 1904. serial No. 210,387.

17) ffl/ 707mm it vit/Ly concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT L. HoRsLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort IVorth, Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mats, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an article of manufacture; and the object is to manufacture mats for various purposes-such as doormats, mats for aisles of churches or other buildings, mats for soda-fountains, mats for bar-counterswand to construct mats which are flexible and easily rolled up for convenience in moving and cleaning and which will retain their shape permanently and not buckle.

Other objects and advantages will be fully explained in the following description, and the invention will be more particularly pointed ont in the claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this applica tion and specification.

Figure l is a broken plan view of a mat, illustrating in detail the manner of constructing the mat. Fig. 2 is an end view of a spring-wire coil, illustrating the style of coil preferably used in making mats.

Similar characters of reference are used to indicate the same parts throughout both views.

This improved mat has a cable A, which extends about the four sides of the mat or about the two sides and the ends of the mat. This cable is `flexible. It is made of a core B of some suitable material and a wire wrapping E. The cable A is constructed by snitable machinery and the wire wrapping is spaced slightly between the coils. The cable is flexible, but not elastic, and longitudinally considered it is incompressible. The spacing of the wrapping slightly apart renders the cable flexible. The cable A may be said to be the frame7 of the mat. The mat is provided with a rod D, placed in each end of the The mat is completed with the cable A, the rods D, and the woven wire. The coil 1 engages the cable A and the rod D and also the coil 2 in the manner shown. The coil 2 engages the rod D, the coil 1, and the coil 3. 5o

The coil 3 engages the coil 2 and the coil 4. Coil 4 engages coil 3 and coil 5. The mat may be made of any suitable length and width. The opposite end ofthe inat is completed in the same manner as was commenced. 5 5

The rod D makes the ends of the mat reasonably rigid, and the sides of the mat are flexible. The rod D is loosely mounted in the position shown and not secured by any fastening device other than the coils of wire and 6o the cable A. The cable A prevents the rod D from sliding out at the sides of the mat. The coils of wire are united or looped at the sides of the mat in such a manner as to leave the sides of the mat flexible. are united at their ends in the following manner: The coil 2 is bent or extends under the cable A and a loop is formed at 6 and the end of the coil 2 is bent back over the cable A.

The coil 3 extends over the cable A and 7o through the loop 6 of coil 2 and stops at 7 on the inside of the cable A, thus forming a hingelike joint with the coil 2 at the point 6. In the same manner the coil 4 after leaving the coil 3 is bent under the cable A 'and a 75 loop formed at 8, and the coil 4 is then bent back to a point inside of the cable A. The coil 5 after engaging thc coil 6 is bent over the cable A and engages the loop S of coil 4 and is then bent back under the cable A to 8o There is an advantage in constructing the 9o IVhen mat with flattened spring-wire coils.

the mat is bent or rolled, the coils will change positions relative to each other slightly, and thus break loose any dirt that may be clinging to the coil. The wire-spring coil will v9 5 form a cushion for the feet, and about salooncounters and soda-water fountains the coils will hold the feet up outof the water or other Coils 2 and 3. 65

As the 85 places. The coils all engage the cable loosely, and yet the coils maintain their positions on the cable permanently, and after a mat is unrolled it will assume a Hat shape or shape conforming to the surface on which it is placed. The c'able and the coils will always return to their normal and proper positions relative to each other without any buckling whatever.

Having fully described my invention,what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. As a new article of manufacture, a flexible mat constructed of a cable and coils of spring-Wire engaging said cable and forming loops pivoted together on the outside of said cable.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a mat constructed of flexible cable forming the frame of the mat, coils of wire woven together and having their ends looped about said cable at the sides of the mat, and each pair of coils having their ends pivoted together outside of said cable and rods loosely mounted in the ends of the mat for forming rigid ends of the mat.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a nonelastic mat composed of a frame consisting of a flexible and non-elastic cable, and coils of spring-wire woven together, and each pair of wire springs having their ends pivotally connected together about said cable.

4. As a new article of manufacture,a mat composed of a non-elastic 'flexible cable forming a frame for the mat and a series of coils of spring-wire flexibly woven together in series and each pair of wire springs having their ends ilexibly connected together on the outside of the frame.

In testimony whereof I set myhand, in the presence of two witnesses, this 25th day of May, 1904.

ROBERT L. HORSLEY.

Witnesses:

A. L. JACKSON, J. W. STITT. 

